Joint Forces Journal is published privately, and in no way is connected with DoD, the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard. This website and the printed newspaper are intended for the members of the Armed Forces and their families. Contents do not necessarily reflect official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard, and do not imply endorsements thereof. The marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchases, user or patron for advertisers prohibited. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. Editorial content is prepared and edited privately, and is provided by the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard installations. Correspondence and material for publication should be addressed to: Editor, Joint Forces Journal, P.O. Box 13283, Oakland, CA, 94661-0283. Deadline for receiving articles and photos is 3 p.m. Monday for publication on Friday of that week. Joint Forces Journal editorial policy is to use bylines and photo credits where applicable and when submitted.

Dec 02, 2017
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley breaks new ground in 2017 by adding a second holiday show to its season, “The Santaland Diaries” at the intimate 180-seat Lohman Theatre in Los Altos Hills, CA. Written by David Sedaris, this rollicking one-man cure for an overdose of holiday hype will have a limited three-week run, being presented December 5-23, 2017. Sedaris’ international career as a memoirist took off when he recounted his short tenure at Macy’s as Crumpet the Elf in an essay, which he read on NPR’s “Morning Edition” in 1992. Adapted by Joe Mantello, this unique yuletide hit shares the experience of an ill-equipped elf forced to confront child meltdowns, overbearing parents, and complacent Santas.

Considered a new holiday tradition, “SantaLand Diaries,” Tony Award winner Joe Mantello adapted the holiday reading into a stage production in 1996, and it debuted at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City with Theatre World Award winner Timothy Olyphant originating the sadistic department store elf.

With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. Sedaris pieces appear regularly in The New Yorker and have twice been included in “The Best American Essays.” There are more than ten million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 25 languages.

Joe Mantello, who adapted “The Santaland Diaries,” is an award-winning director and actor. He received the Julie Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing from the Drama League, and many other wins and nominations from Drama Desk, Actors’ Equity, the Obie Awards, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Bay Area native Max Tachis will make his TheatreWorks debut as Crumpet the Elf/David. He was most recently seen in Los Altos Stage Company’s “The Crucible.”

For tickets ($20-$45) and more information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

* * * * *

Photo caption: TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will present a one-man cure for an overdose of holiday hype, “The Santaland Diaries,” by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello. Chronicling the adventures of David (Max Tachis) as Crumpet the Elf at a department store, this additional holiday production will play at the Lohman Theatre in Los Altos Hills December 5-23, 2017. (Photo credit: Kevin Berne)